Reason Numero Uno That You Don’t Pre-Order Your New iPhone From Anyone But Apple

It’s launch day, which we’re sure you’ve heard about a billion times by now. While everyone’s off getting their iPhones from an Apple Store, or waiting by the door for the UPS man, Best Buy customers have just found themselves screwed. According to an internal memo from the company, Best Buy doesn’t have enough phones to fulfill pre-order requests. That means one thing, and one thing only. You probably won’t be getting your phone today.

I know that you’re excited to get your new iPhone 5 and you can be sure we are as excited to sell it to you. Unfortunately, as of the night before the official launch, Best Buy® has not received enough of the specific model phone you ordered, and we will not have it available on launch day. You can be certain that we are working very hard to get you, as quickly as possible, the exact iPhone 5 model you pre-ordered. It could take as long as 28 days to find the iPhone you want. However, there is no doubt that the fact you pre-ordered a phone from Best Buy means you will be able to buy it before any consumer trying to find one on their own.

Trust us, we will be able to get you the phone you want – maybe not as fast as you might want, but likely as fast as anyone else at this point.

I really appreciate your patience and willingness to shop Best Buy. We look forward to getting you the phone you ordered with us.

Here’s the thing. Best Buy was well aware of how many iPhones they were going to be in possession of before launch day. They were also aware of their pre-order numbers. And yet, they still decided to keep selling the pre-orders, knowing full well that customers would be expecting the phone on launch day. It’s not like some random box full of iPhones showed up unannounced this morning.

Other companies, like Sam’s club and Wal-Mart have begun issuing similar notices to those who pre-ordered iPhone 5s.

If you’re the early adopting type, and you’re hoping to get your hands on a device from Apple the day it launches, you have two options: first, go wait in line at the Apple Store; second, wait to pre-order your phone directly from Apple the moment they start taking orders. Taking your business to any other company, or trying out any other approach is a gamble.

I can’t believe these companies (Best Buy, et al.) continue to mislead people into thinking that they have a giant stock of devices available for pre-order when they’re fully aware that they don’t. Actually, I can believe it. I can also believe that they laughed all the way to the bank, collected $200.00 for passing go, and don’t care one iota when you get your iPhone 5, despite any rhetoric claiming the opposite.